Cappadocia Red & Green Tour: Fairy Chimneys & Underground City

Two days among Cappadocia's fairy chimneys, underground chambers and monastery cliffs

A 2-day guided tour of Cappadocia combines the Red Tour (Love Valley, Uchisar Castle, Devrent Valley, Monks Valley) with the Green Tour (Kaymakli Underground City, Selime Monastery, Ihlara Valley). A guide leads the group through rock formations, ancient dwellings and panoramic viewpoints. Private or group departures available, with meals, transport and entry fees included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Red Tour Highlights

• Visit Love Valley for photos
• Explore Uchisar Castle panoramic view
• Take photos and hear 3 beauties myth
• Discover Devrent Dream Valley rock formations
• See fairy chimneys at Monks Valley
• Lunch at guide's chosen restaurant

Day 2: Green Tour Highlights

• Enjoy Göreme Panorama view
• Tour Kaymaklı Underground City
• Lunch and free time in valley
• Visit Selime Monastery rock-cut complex
• See Narlıgöl volcanic crater lake
• Lunch at guide's chosen restaurant

The experience

Day one takes you through the valleys that define Cappadocia's landscape. Love Valley opens with the region's signature fairy chimneys, towering rock spires carved by erosion, and the soft light here is why photographers return at sunset. Uchisar Castle, the largest fairy chimney in the region, sits 5 kilometers from Nevşehir and offers a panoramic view across the entire landscape: Göreme town, Ortahisar Castle, the valleys toward Avanos, and the surrounding plateaus all spread below. From there you move into Devrent Valley, where the rock formations have inspired local names and stories. The valley has no settlements, only the dramatic geology. Monks Valley (also called Paşabağları) shows the full range of fairy chimney development: single, double and triple formations at different stages of erosion, some 15 to 20 meters tall.

Day two descends into Cappadocia's hidden depths and heights. Kaymakli Underground City extends roughly 60 meters down into volcanic rock, carved over centuries starting as early as the 8th century BCE. The multi-level chambers once sheltered up to 20,000 people along with livestock and supplies. You walk through ventilation shafts, kitchens, churches and storage rooms that reveal how people lived in times of war or invasion. After lunch in the valley, Selime Monastery rises from a dramatic cliffside: a rock-cut religious complex with churches, living quarters and sweeping views that speak to early Christian life in the region. The tour ends at Narlıgöl, a volcanic crater lake with brackish water, ringed by hills at 1,363 meters elevation.

Your guide speaks English (or Russian, Italian, Chinese or Spanish depending on the option you choose), and the pace is built for comfort rather than rushing. Private transportation, all museum entries and meals are included. Infants travel on an adult's lap. The two-day structure means you see both famous highlights and quieter corners without the fatigue of a single-day sprint.

What’s included

• Private transportation throughout both days.
• entry to Göreme Open Air Museum, Kaymakli Underground City and Selime Monastery.
• a live guide in your chosen language.
• meals on both days.

Options for this experience

6 options

Two-day private tour: Red and GreenGuide in English · 10:00Two-day private tour in English. This is a private tour. The guide speaks English. Duration: 2 days, meaning the time spent on tours across the 2 days. Lunch and drinks: lunch is served midway through the tour at the restaurant. The tour is conducted in an air-conditioned vehicle. Includes: museum tickets, tour guide, lunch, hotel pickup and drop-off. Pickup is included.

Group tour over two days: Red and GreenGuide in English · 09:00Two-day group tour in English. This is a private tour. The guide speaks English. Duration: 2 days, meaning the time spent on tours across the 2 days. Lunch and drinks: lunch is served midway through the tour at the restaurant. The tour is conducted in an air-conditioned vehicle. Includes: museum tickets, tour guide, lunch, hotel pickup and drop-off. Pickup is included.

Two-day Red and Green private tour in ItalianGuide in English · 09:00Two-day private tour in Italian. This is a private tour. The guide speaks Italian. Duration: 2 days, meaning the time spent on tours across the 2 days. Lunch and drinks: lunch is served midway through the tour at the restaurant. The tour is conducted in an air-conditioned vehicle. Includes: museum tickets, tour guide, lunch, hotel pickup and drop-off. Pickup is included.

See 3 more options

Two-day Red and Green private tour in RussianGuide in English · 09:00Two-day private tour in Russian. This is a private tour. The guide speaks Russian. Duration: 2 days, meaning the time spent on tours across the 2 days. Lunch and drinks: lunch is served midway through the tour. The tour is conducted in an air-conditioned vehicle. Includes: museum tickets, tour guide, lunch, hotel pickup and drop-off. Pickup is included.

Two-day Red and Green private tour in SpanishGuide in English · 09:00Two-day private tour in Spanish. This is a private tour. The guide speaks Spanish. Duration: 2 days, meaning the time spent on tours over the course of 3 days. Lunch and drinks: lunch is served midway through the tour at the restaurant. The tour is conducted in an air-conditioned vehicle. Includes: museum tickets, tour guide, lunch, hotel pickup and drop-off. Pickup is included.

Two-day Red and Green private tour in ChineseGuide in English · 09:00Two-day private tour in Chinese. This is a private tour. The guide speaks Chinese. Duration: 2 days, meaning the time spent on tours across the 2 days. Lunch and drinks: lunch is served midway through the tour at the restaurant. The tour is conducted in an air-conditioned vehicle. Includes: museum tickets, tour guide, lunch, hotel pickup and drop-off. Pickup is included.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:00 and 10:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (4 and older) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupUp to 22

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 6 days before the start.Between 2 and 6 days before the start, 50% refund.After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for heart conditionsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by How To Make Travel

Is this one for you?Choose the private option if you want a guide who speaks your language and a smaller group. The group tour works for travelers comfortable with a shared departure and a mix of languages. Both follow the same route and timing, so the choice is about who you travel with rather than what you see.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Infant (under 4): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 6 days before the start.

What exactly is Uchisar Castle and why is it worth climbing?

Uchisar Castle is the largest and most beautiful fairy chimney in Cappadocia, located 5 kilometers from Nevşehir. The summit offers the only panoramic view of the entire region, from here you can see Göreme town, Ortahisar Castle, all the valleys toward Avanos, Pigeon Valley, and the surrounding landscape spread out below.

How deep does Kaymakli Underground City go and what's inside it?

Kaymakli Underground City extends about 60 meters (200 feet) underground into volcanic rock. It includes ventilation shafts, kitchens, churches, storage rooms and a school. The city was carved over centuries and could once shelter up to 20,000 people along with their livestock and supplies during times of war or invasion.

Do I get to eat during the two days, and is it included?

Meals are included in the tour price. Lunch happens on day two in the valley during free time, giving you a break between Kaymakli Underground City and Selime Monastery.

Can I choose between a private tour and a group tour?

Yes. You can book a private tour in English, Russian, Italian, Chinese or Spanish, or join a group departure. Both options follow the same two-day itinerary with the same guide, transport and inclusions.

What is Selime Monastery and how much time do you spend there?

Selime Monastery is a rock-cut religious complex carved into a dramatic cliffside, with churches, living quarters and sweeping views over the valley. It was an important spiritual and defensive center in early Christian times. Entry is included and the visit lasts about 45 minutes.

Is this tour physically demanding, and who should not book it?

The tour suits all fitness levels. It is not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health. Infants must sit on an adult's lap during transport.